The panel on ESPN's Monday Night Countdown discussed Donovan McNabb's comments about not knowing the overtime rules at length during tonight's show.
I thought I'd share their comments for anyone who is interested on the national perspective on this matter, but didn't get to watch. Check out our Eagles section for thoughts and analysis about McNabb's comments from The Inquirer and Daily News.
Here's parts of what they said...
Keyshawn Johnson:
"To me, that's the organization starting from the top. That's the head coach. That's the assistant coaches that should tell these players."
Do most players know the rule?
"I probably say it's 50/50. ...Your coaches are supposed to prepare you for everything, period."
Cris Carter:
"As a professional...when do you do the extra? As a player, for me, I'm into the extra. I'm into knowing everything that's going on in every football play. I don't make no excuses for Donovan not knowing because if you're touching it 60 times, you better know the rules. ...We're fighting for inches and now we talkin about, 'we don't know what the rules are.' Did it affect the game? C'mon, don't insult my intelligence, of course it affected the overtime."
Trent Dilfer:
"It is in your job description as an NFL quarterback to know what everyone else might not know. It is in your job description to lead the people out on to the field, to be the coach on the football field and inform your players of the nuances of the game that they don't understand...This is not a nuance, this is remedial football...
There are no excuses for not knowing this rule but I think it speaks to a bigger matter here. And that's the lack of detail of the Philadelphia Eagles, their lack of understanding of situational football, and the blame goes all around. Their biggest issue this year has been not managing situations. Goal-line offense, short-yardage offense and overtime football is a situation you must manage correctly. The National Football League is about managing situations offensively and if you don't do it, you're not going to be successful."
Chris Mortensen also said he talked to several GMs and players around the league today. One GM suggested as many as two-thirds of the quarterbacks in the league might not know the rule, but other GMs refuted that estimate.

ESPN's take on McNabb's admission

Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com

Posted:
Monday, November 17, 2008, 8:18 PM

The panel on ESPN's Monday Night Countdown discussed Donovan McNabb's comments about not knowing the overtime rules at length during tonight's show.

I thought I'd share their comments for anyone who is interested on the national perspective on this matter, but didn't get to watch. Check out our Eagles section for thoughts and analysis about McNabb's comments from The Inquirer and Daily News.

Here's parts of what they said...

Keyshawn Johnson:

"To me, that's the organization starting from the top. That's the head coach. That's the assistant coaches that should tell these players."

"As a professional...when do you do the extra? As a player, for me, I'm into the extra. I'm into knowing everything that's going on in every football play. I don't make no excuses for Donovan not knowing because if you're touching it 60 times, you better know the rules. ...We're fighting for inches and now we talkin about, 'we don't know what the rules are.' Did it affect the game? C'mon, don't insult my intelligence, of course it affected the overtime."

Trent Dilfer:

"It is in your job description as an NFL quarterback to know what everyone else might not know. It is in your job description to lead the people out on to the field, to be the coach on the football field and inform your players of the nuances of the game that they don't understand...This is not a nuance, this is remedial football...

There are no excuses for not knowing this rule but I think it speaks to a bigger matter here. And that's the lack of detail of the Philadelphia Eagles, their lack of understanding of situational football, and the blame goes all around. Their biggest issue this year has been not managing situations. Goal-line offense, short-yardage offense and overtime football is a situation you must manage correctly. The National Football League is about managing situations offensively and if you don't do it, you're not going to be successful."

Chris Mortensen also said he talked to several GMs and players around the league today. One GM suggested as many as two-thirds of the quarterbacks in the league might not know the rule, but other GMs refuted that estimate.

Sheil Kapadia is in his fifth season writing about the Eagles and the NFL for philly.com. His earliest
memories as a sports fan include several trips to Veterans Stadium with
his Dad. He's not a beat writer or an Insider, but is here to
discuss the NFL 365 days a year. E-mail him at skapadia@philly.com or
by clicking here